Fund your dreams of going to school for fashion design with these top national scholarships.
Fashion Designers often consider themselves artists, and as an artist, grants and scholarships can give you the opportunity to focus on your designs instead of worrying about the cost of books, tuition and supplies.
Scholarships for other majors may rely heavily on transcripts and essays, but scholarships for fashion design tend to be more about your artistic and creative ability. These scholarship programs are a great way to not only earn some cash for college but they also offer you a chance to expose your work to industry professionals and get some feedback.
The Two Ten Footwear Foundation Design Scholarship is designed for students who have a passion for footwear.
1. American Wool Council’s Fashion Design Scholarship
The American Wool Council offers the American Wool Council’s Fashion Design Scholarship to a fashion design student in order to promote the wool industry.
Amount: $1,000
Eligibility Requirements: Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited fashion program.
Application deadline: January 1
2. Passion for Fashion Competition
The Art Institutes sponsors the Passion for Fashion Competition, where students can enter under one of two categories: fashion design or fashion marketing.
Amount: The cost of half the tuition at The Art Institutes and an all-expenses paid trip to New York City
Eligibility Requirements: Applicants must be high school seniors who intend on enrolling at The Art Institutes.
Application deadline: February 14
3. Two Ten Footwear Foundation Design Scholarship
Two Ten is a non-profit organization that helps people who work in the footwear industry. The Two Ten Footwear Foundation Design Scholarship is designed for students who have a passion for footwear.
Amount: $5,000
Eligibility Requirements: Applicants must be studying design with a focus on footwear.
Application deadline: February 28
4. FIDM Designer of Tomorrow Scholarship Competition
The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising hosts their annual FIDM Designer of Tomorrow Scholarship Competition for the future leaders of the fashion industry.
Amount: One full year at FIDM
Eligibility Requirements: Applicants must submit a project, which could be anything from designing a marketing campaign to designing a new clothing line.
Application deadline: April 30
5. YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund
The YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund is a non-profit organization that works to promote the education of fashion students by providing monetary support and mentorship. They offer several scholarships to eligible students.
Amount: Anywhere from $5,000 to $30,000
Eligibility Requirements: Scholarships are only awarded to students who attend one of YMA’s member schools.
6. WJA Women’s Jewelry Scholarship
The Women’s Jewelry Association offers the WJA Women’s Jewelry Scholarship to fashion students who are studying fine jewelry and watch design.
Amount: Anywhere from $500 to $7,000
Eligibility Requirements: Applicants must be female and enrolled in courses on fine jewelry design.
Application deadline: January 31
Quick Tips
- Renewable scholarships allow you to get a set amount of funds every year for a specific number of years. Non-renewable scholarships are a one time deal. If you can, try to get a mix of renewable and non-renewable scholarships so that you’re not left hanging after your first year in school.
- Associations often offer scholarships to students who are studying their specialty. If you are studying a specialty under the umbrella of fashion design (like jewelry or footwear), check out associations related to that specialty for specific scholarship opportunities.